Scavenger mechanism for pin drafting machines



Oct. 4, 1955 A. E. BUCHANAN Ill SCAVENGER MECHANISM FOR FIN DRAFTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 11 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ANDREW E. BUCHANAN, 1H

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ATTORNEYS.

0M. 1955 A. E. BUCHANAN Ill SCAVENGER MECHANISM FOR PIN DRAFTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Shem 2 Filed Aug. 11, 1952 INVENTOR. ANDREW E. BUCHANH N) H Oct. 4, 1955 A. E. BUCHANAN m SCAVENGER MECHANISM FOR PIN DRAFTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 11, 1952 mm E A M H w 5 E W E R D N A ATTOR N E Y5.

Unite States Patent 0 SCAVENGER MECHANISM FOR PIN DRAFTING MACHINES Andrew E. Buchanan III, Raeford, N. C.

Application August 11, 1952, Serial No. 303,650

1%) Claims. (Cl. 19-139) This invention relates to scavenger mechanisms or clearer mechanisms for textile machinery and more especially to such a scavenger mechanism particularly adapted for use with pin drafting machines of a type such as is manufactured by the Warner & Swasey Company, 5701 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland 3, Ohio, under their model Nos. M2350 and M-2380.

Generally, a pin drafting machine comprises one or more horizontal aprons in the form of endless belts to each of which a plurality of slivers, usually formed from short staple synthetic fibers, are directed in parallel sideby-side relation and, in advance of each of the aprons is a plurality of upper and lower transverse faller bars, each having a plurality of closely spaced drafting pins thereon and which faller bars move in a rectangular path so the drafting pins moving with the lower reach of an upper group of faller bars overlap the drafting pins moving with an upper reach of the lower group of faller bars. The slivers advance from each of the aprons, between the proximal reaches of the upper and lower groups of faller bars and, thence, between upper and lower drafting rolls which rotate at a greater surface speed than the rate of movement of the faller bars thereby attenuating and parallelizing the fibers to form one or more slivers therefrom which are, thereafter, passed through a trumpet and into a suitable collecting means such as a sliver can.

Now, as the slivers pass between the drafting pins and the drafting rolls or drawing rolls, said slivers tend to adhere to the pins and the drafting rolls with a resultant accumulation of stray fibers and lint on the drafting pins, the faller bars and the drafting rolls. Heretofore, the drafting rolls have been provided with clearers in the form of felt, leather or bristle wipers which have not been satisfactory in that they have served to wipe the accumulations of lint, short fibers, trash and the like off of the rolls, but such accumulations would build up on the clearer to such an excess that the rolls would cause the corresponding masses of accumulations to suddenly be torn loose from or fall from the clearers and thereafter be carried to the drafting rolls and the drafting pins with a resultant recurrence of thick wads of fibers in the finished slivers and a resultant defective output.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved scavenger mechanism or clearer mechanism for pin drafting machines comprising scoop-like hoods which are open at one end thereof and are also open at one side thereof and the open side of the hood being provided with a wiper or wipers which resiliently press against the corresponding drafting rolls, and with the open end of at least one of the hoods being disposed closely adjacent the path of travel of the faller bars having the drafting pins thereon. Means are provided whereby an induced current of air or suction is produced in each of the hoods whereby the suction means cooperates with the wipers in preventing excessive accumulations of lint, waste or short fibers on the drafting rollers and the faller bars and the drafting pins.

In other words, the wipers, which are preferably made 2,719,333 Patented Oct. 1, 1955 ice from a relatively resilient material such as felt, leather or the like, wipe the accumulations of lint and the like from the rolls and, upon thick wads of such accumulations accumulating on the wipers, the wads of lint and the like are sucked into the corresponding hoods and, at the same time, the open ends of the hoods cause the air surrounding the drafting pins to flow towards the open ends of the hoods and this movement of the air past the pins causes the lint and small fibers which normally adhere to the pins and the faller bars to be sucked into the hood. The hoods are provided with suitable con duits through which the suction or negative pressure is created and these conduits thereby carry the accumulations of lint and other foreign matter away from the drafting zone.

Due to the loose manner in which the fibers are maintained in sliver form as they pass through the drafting pins, it would be impractical to apply a forced draft of compressed air moving through the slivers, since this would tear the slivers apart. However, since the present hoods are provided with suction means connected thereto, this merely disturbs the air immediately adjacent the orifices or open ends thereof and attracts only the very small loose particles of fibers into the hood without tending to tear apart the slivers as they pass from the drafting pins to the drafting rolls.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of the front or discharge end of a pin drafting machine, with parts broken away, showing the improved scavenger mechanism in as sociation with the drafting rolls thereof;

Figure 2 is a somewhat schematic longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1, showing the relationship between the drafting pins and the drafting rolls of a pin drafting machine, and the improved scavenger mechanism;

Figure 3 is an enlarged isometric view showing one of the scavenger hoods for one of the sets of bottom drafting rolls of the pin drafting machine disassociated from the pin drafting machine;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 1, showing the inner ends of the scavenger hoods in elevation adjacent the corresponding top and bottom drafting rolls of the pin drafting machine;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Figure 1, showing the internal structure of the improved scavenger mechanism;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevation with parts broken away looking substantially along the line 66 in Figure 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, most pin drafting machines comprise a frame 10 which supports a pair of driven endless belts 11 which are commonly termed as aprons, only one of which is shown in Figure 2, and to which a plurality of parallel slivers of relatively short fibers S, usually of synthetic material, are directed from a suitable source, not shown. These slivers, of which only one is shown in Figure 2, initially pass over and in engagement with a horizontal plate or platform 12 disposed rearwardly of each apron 11 and a pressure roll or feed roll 13 rests upon the rear portion of the apron 11 and feeds the slivers S onto the driven apron 11.

The slivers S pass off of the front portion of the apron 11 and between upper and lower groups of faller bars 15 and 16, respectively. The upper and lower faller bars 15 and 16 are identical, except that the faller bars 15 are each provided with a row of closely spaced drafting pins 3 17 which project downwardly therefrom and the lower faller bars 16 are each provided with a row of closely spaced drafting pins 20 which extend upwardly therefrom.

The manner in which the faller bars and 16 are driven, so the upper faller bars 15 move in a rectangular path in a counter-clockwise direction and so the lower faller bars 16 move in a rectangular path in a clockwise direction, is clearly set forth in bulletins distributed by said Warner and Swasey Company, two of which are each entitled Warner & Swasey double head intersecting pin drafter; one of the said two of which relates to repair parts and the other of which relates to specifications of the pin drafting machines model Nos. M2350 and M-2380.

The upper and lower groups of faller bars 15 and 16, respectively, are each arranged in the form of endless conveyors and the proximal reaches of the groups of faller bars 15 and 16 move forwardly in a horizontal path in such spaced relation to each other that the respective pins 17 and 20 thereof overlap each other and thus penetrate the slivers S as they are passed therebetween.

It might be stated that the upper faller bars 15 remain in a constant attitude throughout the course of their rectangular path of movement, there being suitable means, not shown, to move those bars 15 forming the lower reach of the group of bars 15 forwardly in a horizontal path and, as. each successive faller bar reaches the limit of its forward movement, suitable means are provided to raise each successive bar and to then cause successive bars to move rearwardly or from right to left in Figure 2 in a horizontal path. As each successive barreaches the limit of its rearward movement, certain means, not shown, lowers each successive bar to the plane of the lower reach of the group of faller bars 15. The faller bars 16 in the lower group are also driven in a manner similar to thatof the upper bars 15, with the exception that the faller bars 16 in the upper reach of this group move forwardly and then each successive bar is lowered to the lower reach of this group of faller bars 16. Thereafter, the successive faller bars move rearwardly or from right to left and, upon reaching the limit of their rearward movement each successive bar is raised by conventional means, not shown, to the level of the upper reach of the lower group of faller bars 16 to complete the cycle in the movement of the upper and lower groups of faller bars 15 and 16.

Disposed immediately forwardly of each of the upper and lower groups of the faller bars 15 and 16 is a set of drafting rolls which are driven at corresponding surface speeds by conventional means, not shown, and which include an upper or top. drafting roll or pressure roll 25, which presses the slivers against a driven lower or bottom drafting roll 26 and a hip roll 27 spaced slightly rearwardly of the bottom drafting roll. The nip roll 27 is of substantially less diameter than the top and bottom drafting rolls 25. and 26. The nip roll 27 and the lower orbottom drafting rell 26 are usually fluted longitudinally about the peripheries thereof.

As the slivers S pass between the adjacent groups of faller bars 15 and 16, and between the upper and lower drafting rolls and 26, the fibers are parallelized and formed into. another pair of slivers S1 which pass through trumpets 30 and converge into a suitable coiler 31 for coiling the same into a suitable receptacle or sliver Can 32 In some instances, the coilers 31 are omitted anltll the slivers pass from the trumpets to suitable take-up ro s.

In order that it may be clearly understood as to the manner in which the improved scavenger mechanism is supported, the structure which supports the top and bottom drafting rolls 25 and 26' will now be described in detail. The frame 10 comprises a horizontal plate or' platform 35 which has a horizontal transverse frame member or portion 36 at the front end thereof which projects upwardly therefrom and supports the lower ends of trumpet supporting brackets 37, there being two of these trumpet supporting brackets 37 and each of which has two of the trumpets 30 mounted therein through which the slivers S.-1 pass in their course to the can 32.

As heretofore stated, the bottom drafting rolls 26, of which two are shown in Figure l, are driven, the rolls 26 being fixed on a common transverse shaft 40, the medial portion of which is rotatably mounted in a stand ard or bracket 41. Opposite ends of the shaft 40 are rotatably mounted in outside standards or brackets 42 which extend downwardly and are suitably secured to the platform 35. A transverse frame member 43 is suitably secured at opposite ends thereof to the vertical standards or brackets 42 and the bracket or standard 41 is suitably secured to the medial portion of the transverse frame member 43.

The left-hand end of the shaft 40 in Figure 1 engages a suitable driving mechanism, not shown, disposed within a housing 45 which is also supported by the frame 10.

Projecting from the proximal sides of the brackets 41 and 42' are respective ears 46 and 47 in which the legs of inverted U-shaped top roll support members or brackets 50 are mounted for vertical sliding movement, thereduced opposite ends of the top rolls or pressure rolls 25 being rotatably mounted in the vertical legs of the corresponding inverted U-shaped roll support members 50. Each of the roll support brackets 50 is normally urged downwardly by a compression spring 51 (F gure 2) which maintains the corresponding top or pressure roll 25 in pressure engagement with the slivers passing between the same and the bottom roll 26 and the nip roll 27. Each of the springs 51 is disposed in a transverse block or housing 52 mounted for vertical sliding movement in the corresponding bracket 53.

Opposite ends of each of the brackets 53 have cars 55 thereon which are penetrated by bolts 56. The bolts 56 extend downwardly and are threadably embedded in the corresponding cars 46 and 47 of the brackets41 and 42. The upper; end of each of the spring housings 52 is engaged by a corresponding cam 57 which is eccentrically pivot ally mounted, as at 60, in the bifurcated upper end of each of the brackets 53. Each of the earns 57 has a hand lever 61 suitably secured thereto and, when the earns 57 are in one position, the pressure of the corresponding pressure roll 25 is released and, upon each of the cams 57 being moved to alternate position, the spring housing 52 is moved downwardly to place the corresponding inverted U-shaped roll support 50 under resilient pressure of the corresponding compression spring 51 and to there by cause the corresponding pressure roll 25' to bear against the slivers passing therebeneath and over the bot-. tom or lower drafting roll 26 and the nip roll 27.

Th6 Parts heretofore described constitute the usual parts of a pin drafting machine, and it is with these partsthat the improved scavenger mechanism is particularly adapted to be associated. Since the improved scavenger mechanism associated wi h each of the sets of draftingv rolls 2,5, 2,6, and 2 7 is identical, the following description will be limited to the scavenger mechanism associated with the set of drafting rolls 25, 26 and 27 at the left-. hand side of the machine in Figure 1 or as shown in Fig-. ures 4, 5 and 6. Like parts of the scavenger mechanism at the right-hand side of the machine in Figure 1, or as shown in Figure 2, shall bear the same reference characters.

It might be stated, however, that the hoods at the right hand side of the machine in Figure 1 are made opposite hand to. the hoods at the left-hand side of the machine in, Figure 1; so, that the lint and other foreign matter is carried away from the center of the machine in each in stance.

The improved scavenger mechanism comprises an upper air-scoop orhood broadly designated at 66 and a lower air-scoop or hood broadly designated at 67. The upper air-scoop or hood 66 is provided for clearing and; carrying accumulations of lint and other foreign matter away from the corresponding top roll or pressure roll, 25

and the lower air-scoop or hood 67 is provided for clearing and carrying accumulations of lint away from the lower drafting roll 26 and the nip roll 27, and, also, to attract fly and short fibers which may adhere to the faller bars and 16 and the drafting pins 17 and 20. The upper and lower air-scoops or hoods 66 and 67 are similarly constructed, but the upper air-scoop or hood 66 will be first described.

The upper hood or air-scoop 66 is formed from a relatively thin material, such as sheet metal, plastic or the like, and comprises an upper or outer wall portion 70 which is termed an outer portion since it faces outwardly from the corresponding pressure roll relative to an inner portion 71. The outer and inner portions and 71 are formed integral with a substantially three-quartercircular duct portion 72 which is preferably of substantially greater diameter than the distance between the upper and lower or outer and inner portions 70 and 71 of the air-scoop 66.

It will be noted that the upper or outer portion or wall 70 of the hood 66 is substantially longer than the lower or inner wall or portion 71 thereof thus forming an air inlet 74 adjacent the pressure roll 25. Opposite sides of the upper air-scoop or hood 66 are closed by side walls 75 and 76 which are of substantially the same configuration as the integrally formed walls 70, 71 and 72.

A resilient wiper 77, which is preferably formed from a fibrous material, such as felt, leather or soft rubber, partially closes the air inlet 74 of the upper hood 66 and normally bears against the periphery of the pressure roll 25. This wiper 77 extends forwardly and is suitably secured to the lower surface of the lower or inner wall 71 of the hood 66, as by a rigid bar 80 and bolts 81.

In order to resiliently hold the wiper 77 in engagement with the periphery of the pressure roll 25, a rigid strap member 82 (Figure 5) is suitably secured to the upper surface of the wall 70 of the hood 66, as by welding, and the rear end thereof extends substantially beyond the rear edge of the upper wall 70, and is formed with a hook portion 83 which engages a transverse retaining bar 84. The transverse retaining bar 84 spans the distance between, and is suitably secured to, the legs of the inverted U-shaped pressure roll bracket 50. Thus, the hood 66 is fulcrumed on bar 84 and its Weight serves to resiliently hold the wiper 77 against the pressure roll 25. The strap iron member 82 has a handle portion 85 integral therewith which extends forwardly beyond the hood 66 and which may be grasped by an operator for releasing the hook 83 of the strap member 82 from engagement with the retaining bar 84 to facilitate removal of the hood 66 from the machine.

It will be observed in Figure 1 that the hood 66 has a reduced tubular portion 87 extending outwardly from the side wall 76 thereof and communicating with the duct portion 72 thereof, to which one end of a flexible conduit or pipe 90 is suitably secured. The flexible pipe 90 extends outwardly and is connected to a suitable means for inducing suction or negative pressure in the pipe 90 and for carrying away any lint or foreign matter which may be drawn into the pipe 90 from the hood 66. In this instance, the means for inducing suction or negative pressure in the pipe 90 and the air-scoop or hood 66 is exemplified in a vertical duct 91 connected to suitable suction means, not shown, and the closed lower end of which is suitably supported on the vertical standard 42 by any suitable means such as an angle clip 92 and screws 93.

Lower air scoop 0r hood The lower air scoop or hood 67 is also preferably formed from a relatively thin material, such as sheet metal, plastic or the like, and comprises a curved rear or outer wall which conforms substantially to the curvature of the periphery of the bottom drafting roll 26 but which has an internal radius substantially greater than the radius of the periphery of the bottom drafting roll 26 and is thus spaced from the drafting roll 26. It will be noted that the free upper or rear edge of the curved wall 100 is disposed closely adjacent and immediately below the nip roll 27 and is also disposed closely adjacent the path of travel of the lower faller bars 16 as they move downwardly immediately rearwardly of the nip roll 27.

The curved wall 100 extends downwardly from adjacent said nip roll 27 and terminates in a tangential portion 101 which extends forwardly substantially hori- Zontally from the curved wall 100 and which is disposed at an angle of approximately one hundred degrees from the free end of the curved wall portion 100 relative to the axis of the bottom drafting roll 26. The tangential portion 101 extends forwardly beyond the vertical plane of the bottom drafting roll 26 and then curves upwardly to form a substantially threequarter-circular portion 102 which also forms a relatively short upper or inner wall 103 spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the tangential portion 101 of the outer curved wall 100.

It will be noted that this upper or inner wall 103 is preferably curved to conform substantially to the curvature of the periphery of the bottom drafting roll 26, but is spaced therefrom and has a resilient wiper 105 thereon which curves outwardly and is suitably secured to the substantially three-quarter-circular portion 102 of the lower hood 67, by any suitable means such as a rigid bar 106 and bolts 107.

The upper wall 103 of the lower hood 67 is relatively short thus defining an opening at the inner portion of the hood 67 which is also defined by spaced side walls 110 and 111. It will be observed in Figures 3, 4 and 5 that the outer edges of the side walls 110 and 111 of the hood 67 are shaped to conform to the curvature of the outer wall 100 and the portion 101 thereof, and the inner edges of said walls 110 and 111 are shaped to conform substantially to the periphery of the bottom drafting roll 26 but are preferably of slightly greater radius than the drafting roll 26.

The inner edges of the side walls 110 and 111 are each provided with a curved flange 112 to which a suitable air sealing element 113 is adhesively or otherwise secured. This air sealing element 113 may be made from cloth, felt or any other desired resilient material and, in actual practice, a strip of velvet material has been utilized for this purpose.

It will be noted that each of the flanges 112 terminates at one end thereof at the inner or rear edge of the wiper 105 and terminates, at the other end thereof, short of the radial plane of the free end of the outer wall 100 of the air-scoop or hood 67. However, each of the side Walls 110 and 111 has a relatively small tab or ear 115 extending outwardly therefrom, which is provided for supporting opposite ends of a nip roll wiper supporting bar 116, this bar 116 spanning the distance between the sides walls 110 and 111. The wiper support bar 116 defines an orifice or air inlet 120 in the free end of the hood or air-scoop 67, that is, the end thereof remote from the substantially three-quarter-circular portion 102 thereof, and through which air is drawn by means to be presently described.

Adhesively or otherwise secured to the upper surface of the bar 116 is a nip roll wiper 121 made from a soft or resilient material, such as rubber, felt, leather or the like. The wiper 121 conforms to the periphery of the nip roll 27 and bears thereagainst. It will be noted that the front surfaces of the bar 116 and the wiper 121 are curved to conform substantially to the periphery of the bottom drafting roll 26 because of the nip roll 27 being positioned closely adjacent the bottom drafting roll 26.

The wall 111 has a tubular member 122 suitably secured thereto, which communicates with the three-quarter-circular portion 102 of the lower hood or air-scoop 67, and on which one end of a flexible conduit or pipe 123 is mounted. It will be observed in Figure 1 that each of,

the pipes 123 extends outwardly and is connected to the corresponding means for creating negative pressure in the pipes 123, as embodied in the ducts 91. 7

Now, in order to maintain the wipers 105 and 121 of each of the lower air scoops or hoods 6 7 in resilient engagement with the respective lower drafting rolls 26 and the nip rolls 27, a pair of pliable strap members, 125, whichmay be made from leather, cloth, plastic or the like, are suitably connected at their rear ends to opposite sides of each of the lower hoods or air scoops 67. To this end, a rod 126 is suitably secured to the outer surface of the outer curved wall 100, as by welding, and opposite ends of the rod 126 extend substantially beyond the side walls. 110 and 111.

A loop 127 is formed on the lower end of each of the pliable straps 125 and these loops 127 are mounted upon opposite ends of the rod 126. In this instance, each of the straps 125 extends upwardly from the rod 126 and passes over the shaft 40 and then extends downwardly and forwardly at an angle and has the upper end of a a tension spring 130 connected thereto. The lower ends of the tension springs 130 are each connected to a suitable spring anchor 131 which projects upwardly from the transverse frame member 36' Method of operation As heretofore stated, the negative pressure or suction created in the pipes 90 and 123 causes air to flow into the air inlets 74 and 120 of the respective hoods or air scoops 6'6. and 67. The general direction of flow of the air is indicated by the many arrows in Figure 5. This causes surrounding air to move towards the air inlets 74 and 12.0. thereby attracting loose particles of lint, small fibers and the like, commonly termed as fly, from the faller bars 15 and 16 and the respective drafting pins 17 and 20. However, as the slivers S pass between the pressure roll 25 and the bottom drafting roll 26 and the nip roll 27, lint and other foreign matter adheres to the rolls 25, 26 and 27 and ultimately collects at the leading portions of the wipers 77, 105-and 121 relative to the direction of rotation of the corresponding rolls 25, 26 and 27.

Of course, a considerable amount of lint tends to collect at the leading surface of the wiper 121 engaging the nip roll 27 and tends to pass between the drafting roll 126 and the bar 116 and is drawn into the lower hood or airscoop 67. However, in the event of excessive accumulations of lint and the like forming as a mass or wad at the leading surface of the wiper 121, the wiper 121 is caused to move downwardly to, thus permit said wad to. pass between the wiper 121 and the roll 27. This downward movement of the wiper 121 is permitted since the lower hood' or air scoop 67 may pivot on the rod 126 as the rod 126 is moved slightly away from the roll 26.

Likewise, as lint collects at the leading portion of the wiper 105, the lint builds up into a wad which, when sufficiently large, will also cause the wiper 105 to move away from the drafting roll 26 and, instead of the wad which has moved past the wiper 105 being permitted to return to the slivers S, as has heretofore been the case, the negative pressure in the hood or air scoop 67 causes the wad of lint and the like to be drawn through the hood 67 and the corresponding pipe 123 to the suction means 91, thereby disposing of the same.

The upper hood or air scoop 66 functions in a manner similar to that of the lower hood 67 That is: upon a wad of lint and the like of sufficient size building up at the leading portion of the wiper 77, the wad raises the wiper 67' along with the upper hood or air scoop 66 and passes between the wiper 77 and the roll 25. The suction in the hood 66 then causes the wad of lint to pass thereinto and, thence, through the pipe 90 to the suction means exemplified by the ducts 91 to be collected ata point remote from the pin drafting machine.

It is thus seen that I have provided a unique scavenger mechanism for use with the drafting rolls of a pin drafting machine wherein means are provided to create a slow movement of air past the drafting pins to dislodge and direct relatively small particles of lint and the like to points remote from the machine and, also, I have provided means for wiping the rolls and, upon accumulations forming wads. of lint and the like at the various rolls, the wads of lint and the like are then carried away from the. machine rather than being deposited on the sliver, as; h s. heretofor b en th c In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and al-. though specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive Sense only, and not for purPQSes of limitation, the scope of the invention being de fined. in the claims.

I claim:

1. A scavenger mechanism for clearing lint and other foreign matter from drafting pins and drafting rolls of a pin drafting machine comprising a hood shaped to 0011-- form substantially to the periphery of at least one of said drafting rolls, said hood having an opening at the side thereof adjacent the corresponding drafting roll and also having an opening at one end thereof adjacent the path of travel of the drafting pins and closely adjacent said corresponding roll, the end of said hood remote from said end having the opening therein being closed, a conduit connected to said hood adjacent the closed end thereof and being connected to a source of negative pressure, resilient means normally urging said hood toward the corresponding roll, and a roll wiper fixed on the closed end of said hood and normally bearing against the corresponding roll whereby the suction created in said hood will cause air to fiow toward the open end of said hood to carry therewith small particles of lint from the drafting pins and, upon accumulations of lint at said wiper,

excessive accumulations will force the wiper away from engagement with the roll topermit the accumulations to be drawn into said said hood and thereby discharged through said conduit.

2. A scavenger mechanism for pin drafting machines, said pin drafting machines having a set of drafting rolls, including atop roll, a bottom roll and a relatively small nip roll disposed in advance of the top and bottom rollsand adjacent the juncture thereof, said machine also hav ing movable drafting pins thereon which move closelyadjacentsaid nip rolls and betwen which textile fibers pass in their course to the drafting rolls; said scavenger mechanism comprising a hollow hood adjacent each of said top and bottom rolls, wiper means carried by each hood and engaging the peripheries of corresponding rolls, said wiper means extending substantially parallel to the axes of the rolls, each hood having a pair of spaced end walls thereon provided with curved inner edges conforming substantially to the curvature of the adjacent top and bottom rolls, means normally urging the hoods and the wipers thereon toward the corresponding rolls, at leastone of said hoods having an opening in one end disposed closely adjacent the path of travel of said drafting pins, each of said hoods also having an opening therein defined bythe corresponding spaced end walls and communicating with the periphery of the corresponding drafting roll, and a conduit connected to each of said hoods ata point remote from the open end thereof and adapted to be connected to a suction means whereby accumulations of lint and the like on the rolls will be directed to said hood and, upon excessive accumulations of said lint building up at the wipers, the said wipers will be moved away from the corresponding rolls to permit the excessive accumulations to pass into said hoods under the influence of said suction means and to be thereby discharged through the conduit.

3. In a textile machine having a set of drafting rolls including a driven bottom roll and a driven nip roll of I relatively smaller diameter than the bottom roll and disposed closely adjacent said bottom roll; the combination of a scavenger mechanism comprising a hood adapted to be positioned beneath said bottom roll and having a curved wall extending through an arc of approximately one hundred degrees, a straight wall communicating with said curved wall and being rounded at its end remote from the curved wall, side walls on said hood, the edges of said side walls remote from the outer wall of said hood being curved to conform substantially to the curvature of the corresponding bottom roll, means yieldingly urging the hod toward the bottom roll, a pair of wipers carried by said hood, one of said wipers engaging the bottom roll and the other of said wipers engaging the nip roll, a conduit connected to at least one of said side walls, and being adapted to be connected to a suction means whereby, accumulations of lint and the like may build up at the wipers and will ultimately force said wipers away from the corresponding rolls and lint and the like will then fall into the corresponding hood to be discharged through said conduit.

4. In a textile machine having a set of driven drafting rolls including a bottom roll and a nip roll of relatively smaller diameter than the bottom drafting roll and being disposed closely adjacent the bottom drafting roll and above the horizontal plane of the axis of said bottom drafting roll and wherein textile material is adapted to pass successively over the nip roll and the bottom draft ing roll; the combination of a scavenger mechanism comprising a hood including an outer wall spaced from and partially surrounding said bottom drafting roll, a first end of said outer wall terminating closely adjacent, but in spaced relation to, the nip roll, the other second end of said outer wall being curved inwardly about itself to form a relatively short inner wall spaced from the outer wall and disposed closely adjacent the periphery of the bottom drafting roll, side walls fixed to opposite side edges of the outer wall and having curved inner edges conforming substantially to the periphery of the bottom drafting roll, a resilient air seal carried by each of said side walls and engaging the periphery of the bottom drafting roll, a nip roll wiper support connected at opposite ends thereof to the side walls adjacent the first end of said outer wall and being spaced inwardly from the said first end of said outer wall, the proximal edges of the inner wall and the nip roll wiper support defining an orifice therebetween communicating with the periphery of said bottom drafting roll, a conduit connected to said hood for communication with the second end thereof and being adapted to be connected to a suction means, a bottom draft roll wiper mounted on said hood and engaging the periphery of the bottom draft roll at a point below said nip roll wiper, resilient means urging the hood and the two wipers toward the nip roll and the bottom drafting roll whereby, upon lint and other foreign matter from the textile material collecting on said rolls, the lint will accumulate in wads at the leading edges of the two wipers relative to the direction of rotation of the bottom drafting roll and he nip roll, the wipers and the hood will be moved away from the corresponding rolls, and the suction created in said conduit will thereby suck the wads of lint and the like into the hood and into the conduit.

5. A scavenger mechanism for drafting machines having a series of drafting rolls between which textile fibers are passed; said scavenger mechanism comprising a hollow hood adjacent at least one of said rolls, wiper means carried by said hood and engaging the periphery of said roll, resilient means normally urging the hood and the wiper means thereon toward the corresponding roll, said hood having an opening in one end thereof disposed closely adjacent the path of travel of said material as it enters between adjacent rolls, said hood also having spaced side walls defining an opening therebetween communicating with the periphery of the corresponding drafting roll, curved edges on said side walls conforming substantially to the curvature of the adjacent roll, a resilient air seal fixed to each of said curved edges and engaging the periphery of the adjacent roll, and a conduit connected to said hood at a point remote from the open end thereof and adapted to be connected to a suction means whereby accumulations of lint and the like on the rolls will be directed to said hood, and upon excessive accumulations of said lint building up at the wiper means, the latter will be moved away from the corresponding roll by said accumulations to permit the excessive accumulations to move into said hood under the influence of said suction means and to be thereby discharged through the conduit.

6. Apparatus for removing and collecting fibrous material from driven substantially horizontal rolls of a textile machine, said apparatus comprising a hood adapted to underlie a roll and having a bottom wall, axially spaced side walls and one end wall bridging corresponding ends of said side walls, the other ends of said side walls and the adjacent edge of said bottom wall defining an air inlet opening, curved upper edges on said side walls conforming substantially to the curvature of said roll, a wiper substantially bridging the upper edges of said side walls and being disposed adjacent said end wall, one of said side walls being adapted to be connected with a source of suction at a point adjacent said end wall, and means yieldingly urging said hood toward said roll.

7. Apparatus for removing and collecting fibrous material from a textile machine of the type having a set of drafting rolls, including a least one driven relatively large roll and a driven relatively small nip roll disposed closely adjacent said large roll; said apparatus comprising a hood having a curved wall spaced beneath said large roll and having its upper surface conforming substantially to the curvature of said large roll, axially spaced side walls on said hood, curved upper edges on said side walls conforming substantially to the curvature of said large roll, an end wall bridging corresponding ends of said side walls, the other ends of said side walls and said curved wall defining an air inlet opening, a pair of wipers carried by said hood, one of said wipers engaging said large roll and the other wiper engaging the nip roll, one of said side walls being connected to a source of suction, and means yieldingly urging the hood toward said large roll.

8. In a textile machine having driven cooperating rolls r between which textile material passes, apparatus for removing and collecting residual fibres from at least one of said rolls comprising a suction hood at least partially enclosing said roll, said hood being connected to a source of suction at one end and being open to form an air inlet at its other end, said ends being spaced in substantially tangential relationship with respect to a given diameter about the axis of said roll, means maintaining said hood in sealing engagement with said roll other than at said air inlet, and at least one resilient wiper disposed substantially within said hood and engaging; the periphery of said roll.

9. In a textile machine having driven cooperating rolls between which textile material passes, apparatus for removing and collecting residual fibres from at least one of said rolls comprising a suction hood at least partially enclosing said roll, said hood being connected to a source of suction at one end and being open to form an air inlet at its other end, said ends being spaced in substantially tangential relationship with respect to a given diameter about the axis of said roll, means maintaining said hood in sealing engagement with said roll other than at said air inlet, at least one resilient wiper disposed substantially within said hood and engaging the periphery of said roll, and means to yieldably urge said resilient wiper toward said roll.

10. Apparatus for removing and collecting fibrous material from a driven roll of a textile machine comprising, in combination, a suction element extending longitudinally of said roll and enclosing a substantial portion of th pe ph ry f a d roll, sa ement e ng c nne ted to a o-urce of uc i n at one nd. and b g pen a ts other end, saidone end an id th r end ing r ua ely spaced relative to the periphery of said r011 whereby suc-. tion currents flow past the roll substantially tangent to its periphery, means to prevent suction currents from entering said element between the element and said roll other than at said other end thereof, and a Wiper element engaging said roll at a point closely adjacent the confines of said element.

References Cited in the file of his pa ent UNITED STATES PATENTS Shipp Dec. 29,

Ezell et a1. July 28;

Thoma Aug, 12,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Oct. 19,

France Dec. 23,

France June 19, 

